With hoards of sci-fi fans waiting to descend upon San Diego next week for Comic Con 2013, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with Fred Jeska, Steampunk craftsman extraordinaire and the proprietor of Kelly’s Heroes.

The season finale of REVOLUTION finally powers up, but has it enough juice left to save the series? And a big question looms: will season two take this short-circuited show in an entirely new direction?

The crisp pacing and rapid editing of “The Longest day” was a nice change from last week’s sluggish steamboat debacle. Director and stuntman Steve Boyum’s talent at creating impressive FX was an added bonus.

My momma taught me long ago that if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. If I followed her excellent advice, this week’s Revolution review would necessarily be an extremely short one. So, here I have to say I’m sorry, mom, please forgive what follows.

In the aftermath of a recent battle with Monroe’s forces, Miles and Hudson ponder the high cost of victory, while on the the losing side of the battle, General Monroe hatches another plot to kill his enemy Miles involving their former girlfriend, Emma. Rachel and Aaron continue on their trek to the Tower and run into a familiar face.

Revolution finally gets it right with its strongest episode to date. “The Song Remains the Same” is an acting tour de force for Giancarlo Esposito, who plays bad guy Tom Neville. Even though he is tied to a chair for most of the episode, it is truly amazing what Esposito accomplishes with just the barest grimace or sideways glance. It is obvious right from the start that the intensity this actor brings to his role inspired the rest of the cast to up their game, with the result being a far more intriguing episode than usual.

After a lengthy and potentially amnesia-inducing four-month hiatus, NBC’s Revolution returned to television screens last night with “The Stand.” The long-awaited second half of the season started off with a real bang, and interestingly, contained far less whimpering than past episodes. But does it really deliver?

Eric Kripke and J.J. Abrams introduce the first minute of Revolution’s return with a brand new preview clip, in which Abrams promises that, “the second half of the first season is just bigger and cooler and gets more intense.” This is good news for fans of the NBC post apocalyptic sci-fi drama that have been waiting patiently for the show’s return during an interminably long four-month hiatus.

Now at EMP Museum in Seattle, WA, “Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film” exhibit explores the role that horror plays in the human experience and how it’s been represented in 100 years of film and contemporary culture. Three of the world’s most prolific horror film directors — John Landis, Roger Corman and Eli Roth — were invited by the museum to handpick a selection of favorite films which exemplify the influence and scope of cinematic horror.

Revolution has been taking a break since November, but last according to TVLine, this January chief of NBC Robert Greenblatt said, “The first episode back is a big episode that completely turns the story in a really significant way. It kind of sends the second half of the season off on a new trajectory.” Greenblatt added that one reason NBC wanted to keep Revolution off the air for a while was their desire to bring it back with a strong lead-in show. Watch the two-minute promo!